Return with us to those fabulous days of yesteryear when every bustling village had an opera house and performers journeyed from town to town to delight each eager audience. And they had willing participants in the sing-along portions – everybody knew the words to songs like “Bonnie Eloise.”

“Songs along the Mohawk” is a cabaret-style entertainment in which singer Byron Nilsson and pianist Malcolm Kogut share songs and stories from and about the 19th- and early 20th-centuries, including Erie Canal songs, vaudeville numbers, temperance ditties, and even some of those Victorian-era ballads in which people dropped dead for no apparent reason. We’ll also look at Mark Twain's fraught relationship with George W. Elliott, author of "Bonnie Eloise," which began when Twain performed in Fort Plain in 1868.When the Erie Canal opened for business in 1825, revolutionizing the shipment of goods, it turned New York City into a major port center and caused the population of Buffalo to skyrocket. And it gave rise to entertainment that reflected an American taste for exaggeration and parody.

Admission is free. Donations are always welcome and help support future programs.

Saratoga Arts made this program possible with an Individual Artist Grant funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

For more information, visit our Songs along the Mohawk page or contact Mary Alexander, Curator of Education and Public Engagement, 518-673-2314 ext. 113.

The Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library Regional Art Galleries welcome visitors to a show of fine art by the Arts Factory of Montgomery County. Formed in 2011, The Arts Factory is a non-profit organization whose mission is "to support, encourage and cultivate local artists, artisans and venues of the Mohawk Valley". Paintings and sculpture in the show will be on display Friday, May 17th through Wednesday, July 24th. The public is invited to attend a reception with participating artists present on Wednesday, June 5th, from 5 to 7 pm.

Admission to the Regional Art Galleries is free. Museum admission is free for members and children under 11; $9 adults, $6.50 seniors & students. The Museum, Regional Art Galleries, and Library are open Tues - Fri, 10 am-5 pm; Sat & Sun, Noon-5 pm. The Regional Art Galleries and Library remain open until 7:30 pm on Wednesdays.

For more information, contact Mary Beth Vought, Regional Art Gallery Director, 518-673-2314, ext. 110.

Paul Valovic, Plymouth Rock Rooster, photograph

Saturday May 4; 1:00pm
Free Performance AND Museum Admission!

Join us for an exceptional performance in our Great Hall! We are celebrating the arts by offering a free concert performance and free admission to the Museum today!

In partnership with three of the region’s celebrated and nationally acclaimed art museums, Opera Saratoga presents “Saratoga Sings of Art and Inspiration” as part of their commitment to provide free access to opera and classical vocal music for our local community.

We host the artists of Opera Saratoga for Saratoga Sings of Art and Inspiration for an engaging concert of opera and song inspired by the visual arts. Mezzo soprano Annie Chester, tenor WooYoung Yoon, and pianist Laurie Rogers, will join together for an entrancing program featuring music by Donizetti, Poulenc, Puccini, Britten and more!